Coin-guard or controlling device for coin-operated machines.



No. 639,|I5. Patented Dec. l2, I899. R. F. TDCHTERMANN.

ODIN GUARD 0B CONTROLLING DEVICE FOR COIN OPERATED MACHINES.

(Application filed Max. 18, 1899.)

ROBERT FRED. TOOI-ITERMANN, OF NE rrrcn.

YORK, N.

COIN-GUARD OR CONTROLLING DEVICE FOR COIN-OPERATED MACHINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 639,115, dated December12, 1899.

Application filed March 18, 1899. Serial No. 709,666. (No model.)

To all whom, it Tlofl/Z/ concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT FRED. TOCH- TERMANN, a subject of the Emperorof Germany, (but having declared my intention of becoming a citizen ofthe United States) residing at New York, in the county'of New York andState of New York, have invented new and useful Improvemen'tsinCoin-Guards or Controlling Devices for Coin-Operated Machines, of whichthe following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a coin-guard for coin-operatedmachines by means of which only coins which the machine is intended toreceive can pass therethrough;

and the invention consists of a coin chute orguideway, apivotally-mounted gatecontrolling the passage therethrough, and meansthrown into operation by a coin of proper size for swinging said gate.

The invention also consists in certain details of construction andcombinations of parts, which will be hereinafter more fully describedand claimed.

In the drawings, Figure l is a side elevation of my improved device.Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is a vertical section on theline 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4. is a horizontal section on the line 4 4 ofFig. 1, and Fig. 5 is a detail view.

Like reference-numerals indicate like parts in the different views.

The casingl is provided with a vertical opening or passage 2, whichconstitutes a coin chute or guideway and has vertical grooves 3 4,adjacent-t0 the opposite ends thereof,forming flanges 5 6. The width ofthe chute 2is equal to or slightly greater than the diameter of the coinwhich the machine is to receive, and the lower end thereof is normallycovered by a gate 7, the same being substantially U shaped, having abottom portion 8, which lies directly beneath the lower end of the chute2, and is of substantially the same thickness as the coin to bereceived, and upwardly-extending arms 9 10, the arm 9 fitting within thegroove 3 and supported upon the pivot-pin 11, which extends through theflange 5 and intersects said groove 3. The other arm 10 fits within thegroove 4 and is provided with an inwardly-extending pin 12, which passesloosely through the opening 13 in the casing 1, the end of said pinbeing beveled or rounded and normally lying within the coin-chute 2, thesame being retained in this position by means of a leaf-spring 14, whichis secured to the inner wall of the flange 6 and engages the outersurface of the arm 10. It will be observed that the arms 9 and 10 of thegate '7 are narrower than the grooves 5 and 6, in which theyrespectively fit, and are therefore capable of lateral movement-in saidgrooves. It will also be observed that the gate 7 is capable of aswinging movement upon the pins 11 and 12, respectively. The connectionbetween the body of the gate 7 and its pivots being a loose one, thearms 9 and 10 will normaily lie in a vertical position, at which timethe bottom of the gate covers and obstructs the lower end of thecoin'chute 2. The upper end of the arm 9 is provided with alaterally-extending oifset or flange 15, which when the gate is in itsnormal position, as shown in Fig. 1 of the-drawings, is adapted toengage a shoulder 16 in the groove 3,which shoulder constitutes a stopfor preventing the swinging or vibration of the gate.

Extending through the casing 1, adjacent to one side of the coin-chute2, is an arbor 17, provided with an'annular groove 18 a'tapointintermediate of its ends, in which groove the pivot-pin 11 fits forpreventing the accidental removal of said arbor. The said arbor projectsfrom one side of the casing l and carries a releasingarm or lever 19,whose forward end projects to a point beneath and is adapted to engagethe under side of the lateral offset or. flange 15 on the arm 9. Therear end of said arm or lever is normally held in its raised position bymeans of a spring 20, which is secured to the outer surface of thecasing 1. To turn the arbor 17 and the releasing arm or lever 19,carried thereby, against the action of the spring 20, I provide uponsaid arbor, at a point intermediate of its ends, a shoulder 21, whichprojects into the coinchute 2 at a point opposite the pin 12 on the arm10. a

From the foregoing description it is thought that the operation of mydevice will be readily understood. Briefly stated, however, it is asfollows:

With the parts in the position shown most clearly in Fig. 3 of thedrawings, a coin of proper size introduced into the coin-chute 2 andforced down to the lower end thereof will engage simultaneously theprojecting end of the pin 12 and the shoulder 21 on the arbor 17. Theaction upon the pin 12 is to shift the gate 7 to the right, so as tobring the lateral offset or flange 15 out of the range of the shoulder16, and the action of the coin upon the shoulder 21 is to rotate thearbor 1'7, elevate the forward end of the releasing arm or lever 19,bring the latter into engagement with the under side of the lateraloffset or flange 15, and thereby swing the gate 7 so that the bottomportion 8 thereof is moved out of line with the coin-chute 2. Thepassage through said chute is now unobstructed and the coin is free topass therethrough into the machine. As soon as the coin has left thechute, however, the parts are returned to their normal positions throughthe action of the spring 14, which moves the gate laterally, and thespring 20, which rotates the arbor 17.

If a coin of larger size than that which the machine is intended toreceive is attempted to be introduced into the coin-chute 2, themovement thereof through the chute will be resisted by the end wallsthereof, and if a coin of smaller dimensions than that which the machineis intended to receive is introduced into the chute its passagetherethrough will be prevented by the engagement thereof with the bottomportion 8 of the gate 7, it being impossible for a coin of smalldimensions to act upon the inner end of the pin 12 and the shoulder 21.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a coin-guard,'the combination with a coin-chute, of a pendent,swinging and longitudinally movable gate, normally lying across thecoin-chute, and devices operated bypressure on the properly-insertedcoin for bodily shifting the gate longitudinally and swinging the same,substantially as described.

2. In a coin-guard, a pivotally-mounted gate normally locked in positionto obstruct the passage through said chute, and means actuated by theintroduction of a coin of proper size into the chute for unlocking saidgate, and swinging the same.

3. In acoin-guard, acoin-chute, a pivotallymounted and bodily-movablegate normally locked in position to obstruct the passage through saidchute, and means actuated by the introduction of a coin of proper sizeinto the chute for moving said gate bodily for unlocking it, and forswinging it upon its pivot for removing it as an obstruction to thepassage through the chute.

4. In a coin-guard, a casing having a coin chute or passage waytherethrough, and

grooves on opposite sides of said chute, a gate having its bottomportion normally lying beneath the discharge end of said chute andprovided with upwardly-extending arms or flanges at its ends, said armsbeing respectively located within said grooves and capable of lateralmovement therein, a pin secured to the casing, extending through one ofsaid grooves, and upon which one arm of said gate is mounted, a pinsecured to the other arm of said gate, extending through an opening insaid casing into said chute, and adapted to be engaged by a coin ofproper size introduced into said chute, a spring for holding said gateat one end of its movement within said grooves, a stop forlocking saidgate when in this position, and engaging means in the chute for the coinwhereby said gate may be swung upon its pivots, as and for the purposeset forth.

5. In a coin-guard, a casing having a coinchute therein, and grooves onopposite sides of said chute, a U-shaped gate whose bottom lies normallybeneath the discharge end of said chute, and whose side arms or flangesare respectively located in said grooves and are capable of lateralmovement therein, a lateral offset on one of said arms, a stop adaptedto be engaged bysaid offset when the gate is at one end of its bodilymovement, a spring for normally holding said gate in position to belocked by said stop, pivots on which said gate is mounted, one of whichis secured to one arm thereof and extends through an opening in theeasing into said chute, the projecting end of which is adapted to beengaged by a coin of proper size introduced into said chute, a rotatingarbor extending through said casing and provided with a shoulder whichprojects into said chute and is adapted to be engaged by a coin ofproper size, and a releasing arm or lever carried by saidarbor andadapted to engage said offset for swinging said gate after it has beenmoved out of looking engagement with said stop.

6. In a coin-guard, a casing having a coin chute or passage-way formedtherein, a pivotally-mounted gate normally located beneath the dischargeend of said chute, said gate being bodily movable and held in lookingposition at one end of its bodily movement, and

means actuated by the introduction of a coin of proper size into thechute for moving said gate bodily and thereby unlocking it and forswinging it out of line with said chute.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

RBT. FRED. TOOHTERMANN.

Witnesses:

JOHN S. SCHNEIDER, GEO. W. REA.

